Saturday, 10:42 a.m.
Rain drizzled across the rooftop of Ground Zero as Leo stared out at the gray skyline. Manila was drenched in wet silence, but his mind was noisy.
The system notifications hadn't stopped since Zari's discovery:
[Ongoing Threat: Internal Leak Suspected]
Trust Index: Core Team – 87%
Alert: Sub-Team Division B flagged for anomalies
Suggested Action: Initiate Loyalty Stress Test
Leo exhaled. A test? No. He didn't want to doubt them—not after everything. But doubt, like a virus, didn't need permission. It simply spread.
Downstairs, the core team had gathered.
Zari, Martin, Aria, and Dreigh sat around the roundtable. Tension clung to the air. For the first time since Ground Zero's creation, smiles felt forced.
Leo stepped in, calm but commanding.
"I've decided something," he began. "From this moment on, all sensitive Ground Zero projects will be split into separate modules. No one, including me, will hold the full picture."
Dreigh frowned. "Is that really necessary?"
"Yes," Leo replied firmly. "We'll compartmentalize. That way, even if someone slips, the damage is limited."
Zari nodded slowly. "Smart. Frustrating, but smart."
Martin sighed. "I just hate that it's come to this."
Leo sat down.
"It's not about trust. It's about survival."
That afternoon, Leo met with Jared and several new scholars. They were pitching grassroots tech ideas: solar charging mats for public schools, low-cost routers for remote learning, and gamified literacy apps.
Leo listened intently, asking questions, encouraging bolder thinking.
Then he asked a quiet question.
"If you had to choose between ₱100,000 today or the chance to build something that changes your entire hometown forever—what would you pick?"
Jared answered without hesitation. "Change. No question."
Leo smiled.
[New Trait Detected: Seedling Loyalty – Jared Villamor]
Influence Sector: Youth Development
Potential Leader Candidate Identified
Passive Bonus: +5% Outreach Morale
Meanwhile, Nyx sent Leo an encrypted message:
"I found your mole."
Leo's eyes sharpened.
The file included keystroke logs, hidden message relays, and an account tied to an intern named Lance Gutierrez—a third-year student who joined during Ground Zero's recruitment drive.
He had sent encrypted summaries of Ground Zero's hardware designs and internal staff schedules to a dummy server routed through Singapore.
Leo's fists clenched. Lance had laughed with them. Eaten their food. Nodded during mission briefings.
That evening, Leo called Lance to his office.
The boy entered, smiling nervously. "Sir Leo! You wanted to see me?"
Leo gestured to the chair. "Sit."
Lance did.
Then Leo laid the file on the desk.
Everything.
Lance's smile vanished.
"I—wait—I don't—"
"No lies," Leo said softly. "Just answer me one question."
Lance gulped. "O-okay."
"Was it about the money… or were you scared?"
Silence.
Lance looked down.
"They offered ₱300,000. Said you were dangerous. That you were manipulating all of us. I didn't believe it at first, but… then the power outage happened. I panicked."
Leo leaned forward.
"And you didn't come to me?"
"I didn't know if I could."
Leo stood and walked to the window.
"You could've. But now, I can't let this go."
Lance swallowed. "Are you going to ruin me?"
Leo turned, eyes calm.
"No. But you'll never step foot in Ground Zero again."
[Betrayal Resolved: Lance Gutierrez – Expelled]
Core Morale: +12%
Internal Threat Level: Reduced
Public Relations Fallout: None
Team Integrity Status: Reinforced
The next morning, Leo gathered the core team.
"I found the mole," he said plainly. "And he's gone."
Zari asked, "How'd you know for sure?"
Leo met her eyes. "Let's just say I had help."
She understood. Nyx.
Martin exhaled deeply. "What now?"
Leo looked around the room.
"Now, we double down. No more fear. No more leaks. From here on out, we build something that makes every enemy realize they were too late."
That night, Leo received another encrypted message.
Not from Nyx. Not from Salonga.
From a completely unknown source.
"You've lasted longer than expected, Leo. Impressive. But be careful. You're not the only hidden heir in this game."
Leo's eyes darkened.
The board was growing.
And somewhere in the shadows, another ghost was moving.